


Honey Bees

by Cranesinthesky



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-10-07 00:55:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10348767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cranesinthesky/pseuds/Cranesinthesky
Summary: AU/No walkers. Michonne and Judith are on a mission to save the world- one honey bee at a time. UPDATE: Started out as an one shot but is now an ongoing series that focuses mostly on Judith and Michonne's mother/daughter relationship in an AU world.  Prompts are welcome!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is a random one-shot I thought of a couple of days ago, thanks to a certain honey bee campaign that's been making its way around social media, so bear with me haha. This story takes place in an AU/No Walker universe.

Michonne hummed quietly as she poured herself a cup of coffee, the aroma from the freshly brewed beverage instantly rejuvenating her body. It was eight o’clock on a Saturday morning in the Grimes household. Rick and Carl had gone out fishing while Michonne and Judith stayed home with plans to relax and do absolutely nothing. The week had been hectic for the family; between ballet practices, a recital, after school tutoring, a baseball game and hard days at work, they all figured they needed some form of rest and relaxation.

Rick had left out nearly an hour ago with a sleepy Carl in tow, promising they would be back around lunchtime. Judith stole her father’s space in bed, snuggling up to her mother and telling her about the dreams she had the night before. This had become a ritual, Michonne and Rick realized, Judith sneaking into their room and snuggling in bed with them before their alarm clock went off. However, there were no complaints from either; they tried to cherish every moment they could with the kids, knowing that one day both would be out of the house and on with their lives.

Judith was sitting at the kitchen table, swinging her feet happily as she hummed along to the Disney song that she had been singing around the house for the past couple of weeks. In front of her was the newspaper that Rick had brought into the house earlier and a box of cereal, her breakfast of choice. Her fingers across the words on the paper as she tried to read along, recognizing most of the words in the headline.

Michonne sighed contently after taking a sip of coffee then setting it down on the counter. She walked over to the refrigerator; an omelet sounded perfect for this morning.

“What’s for breakfast, cutie?” she asked the six year old, knowing well that the picky eater wouldn’t be as excited for an omelet as she was. “The usual?”

She turned when didn’t receive an answer. She instantly noticed that Judith was no longer humming or swinging her feet, but sitting still with a solemn look on her face, her brow furrowed as she stared at the newspaper in front of her.

“Judith? What’s wrong?”

“This.” The little girl pointed to the newspaper. “The bees are missing.”

“What?” Michonne walked over to the table, taking a seat beside her daughter. She picked up the paper, her eyes scanning over the article in question.

“’Save the bees,’” she read out loud. “‘The bee population is dwindling due to an increase in parasites and pesticides. Scientists are encouraging people everywhere to plant wildflower seeds in order to help rebuild the bee population.’”

“Can we plant the seeds, Mommy?” Judith looked up at her mother curiously with those big brown eyes. “We need to save the bees.”

Michonne smiled at the little girl’s compassion. She had heart and was always looking out for those around her, fighting for other people- even the bees. Just like her father.

She reached down and smoothed Judith’s golden blonde hair, still disheveled after a good night’s sleep. “We can save the bees. But first, breakfast.” She stood and walked back over to the refrigerator, pulling out the milk to make a bowl of cereal. “We need our energy.”

After they finished eating breakfast and changed into comfortable clothes, they made their way out to the front yard, where there was an empty flower bed near the porch that had been abandoned long ago.

“First, we have to find a spot for it,” Michonne said, setting down the bucket of gardening tools and a packet of wildflower seeds on the porch steps. She stood back and placed her hands on her hips, looking around for the perfect spot. Judith copied her, hands on her hips as well, looking.

“Right there,” she chimed, pointing to a spot next to the porch steps. “So I can see them every morning when I leave for school.”

Michonne laughed. “Okay, let’s go for it.”

As they worked on creating a safe space for the flowers, Michonne paused to watch the young girl carefully placed the seeds into the hole they had dug. She then filled the hole with soil and patted the small mound, proud of her accomplishment. She looked up at her mother with a big smile on her face, oblivious to Michonne’s loving stare.

“When will the bees come back?”

“In a couple of weeks, hopefully. Once the flowers grow, the bees will come out. Think you can wait that long?” She playfully pinched her right cheek.

Judith thought about it for a second, her eyes looking upward and her finger resting on her chin. She nodded her head. “I think so.”

She then got up and wrapped her arms around Michonne’s neck, her head resting on her shoulder. Her grip tightened as she said, “I love you, Mommy.”

Michonne smiled, tears springing to her eyes. How lucky she was to have these wonderful people in her life. Each day, her husband and children did something that made her love them even more possible than she thought. And for that, she was grateful. “I love you, too, cutie.”  


	2. Chapter 2

“Mommy?”

Michonne’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of Judith’s voice. It was dark in the room, with only a sliver of light from the lamp in the hallway that they kept on at night in case the kids got up for any reason. Judith was standing by Michonne’s side of the bed, her hair falling out of its French braid.

Michonne reached over to her nightstand to turn on the light. “Judith, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

It was still dark outside. According to the clock next to the lamp, it was five o’clock am, an hour before everyone in the house usually got up to begin their weekday.

Judith shook her head as her mother placed a hand on her forehead to feel for a fever. “No.”

“Then what is it?” Michonne felt Rick stir from his sleep behind her.

“Why haven’t the bees shown up yet?”

“Oh, baby,” Michonne closed her eyes, the sadness on her little girl’s face placed an aching in her heart. She had been constantly checking the flower bed every day since they first planted them, giving it the upmost attention and care. “We have to give it time. The flowers haven’t even bloomed yet.”

“But you said a few weeks.”

“It takes a couple of weeks for them to germinate,” Rick said groggily, having heard the entire conversation. “It’s still gonna take another month or so for the flowers to actually bloom and the bees to come out.”

Judith frowned. “What does germinate mean?”

Rick sat up on his elbows, a few strands of his hair hanging across his forhead. His couple of months of gardening skills with family friend Hershel Green was finally coming into play, causing Michonne to smirk. “Germinate means when they first begin to grow and when the leaves first sprout up. I checked it yesterday when I came in from work; they still have a little ways to go.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, cutie. Looks like Mommy was wrong about that one.”

Judith looked down then back up, the disappointment on her face quickly disappearing. “That’s okay. I can wait.”

Michonne smiled, pinching her cheeks. “That’s my girl.” She moved over on the bed, lifting her blanket up and motioning for Judith to lie beside her. “Come on, get in bed. We still have some time before we have to get ready.”

Judith happily did as told, settling in beside her mother. Michonne turned off the light then rested her head against her pillow. Rick did the same, his arm wrapping around her waist.

“You won that one,” she whispered to him, turning her heads toward him. “Glad you finally got one over me?”

He chuckled. “It’s not a competition. Besides, I’m only down one. But who’s keeping track?”

She playfully hit him on the hand. “I got you next time.”

“We’ll see,” he whispered, kissing her on the cheek.

***

 

Judith sat down on the grass in front of the flowerbed. She inspected the now taller flower stalks and the buds that had yet to sprout open. She sighed impatiently as she rested her head in her hands. This process was taking forever.

“What’s up, Judes?”

She turned to see Carl heading up the walkway towards her. His backpack was slung over one shoulder and he held a textbook in his hand. His long hair that their father practically begged him every day to cut was hanging loosely against his shoulders.

“Nothing,” she responded softly. “Just waiting.”

Carl stopped at the edge of the porch steps, noticing the obvious disappointment and impatience on his little sister’s face. He placed his bag and book on the steps and walked over to where she was, sitting down beside her. “You know, Dad and I planted some wildflowers years ago when you were still a baby to try and save the bees.”

Her face brightened. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “And it worked, but the flowers died out after a bad storm hit. So it’s a good thing you’re doing this, Judes. Help bring them back.”

They smiled at each other, enjoying their small talk. With Carl in high school and busier now with his studies, after school activities and girlfriend, he wasn’t around his little sister as much these days. A far cry from a couple of years ago when she would follow him around everywhere. She missed it and was glad he made enough time for her.

“So,” he continued. “What kind of flowers are in here?”

***

Michonne had just came in from grocery shopping and was about to fix dinner when she heard Judith call her from outside. Rushing out to the porch, she saw Judith happily jumping up and down next to the flower bed.  She excitedly pointed towards the now fully bloomed flowers.

“Look, Mommy, look!” She practically yelled. “The bees are back!”

Michonne peered over the railing to take a look. Sure enough, a couple of bees were on the flowers, slightly buzzing as they worked and did their magic. She smiled. “That’s great, cutie.”

“We did it, Mommy.” Judith ran up the steps and threw her arms around Michonne’s waist, engulfing her in a tight hug.

Michonne smoothed down the little girl’s hair. “You did it.”

Curious to what was going on, Rick and Carl walked out on the porch.

“What’s going on?” Rick asked.

“The bees are back!” Judith said, causing Rick to laugh. She grabbed Carl’s hand and ran down the stairs. “Come and look.”

Rick and Michonne looked on proudly as they watched their children, who both stood at a safe distance away from the bees, count how many bees were around. Rick stood behind his wife, pulling her closer to place a kiss on her cheek. He rested his head on her shoulder.

“I’m proud of my girls,” he said softly.

She chuckled. “That was all her. She has your heart and passion.” She brought his hand up to her lips and kissed his fingers. “Thank God she didn’t get your cockiness though.”

He laughed, shaking his head. After Michonne released his hand from hers, he moved it down to her stomach, slightly rubbing it over the small bump that only they knew about, but couldn’t attempt to hide anymore. “When should we tell them?”

“Tonight,” she said, still in awe of the new life they had created. “Let’s just enjoy this moment.” She placed her hand over his and gently caressed his wrist with her thumb.

Rick nodded in agreement, placing a kiss on her temple. They looked out at their two kids, Judith talking to Carl excitedly as he laughed at her enthusiasm. A smile tuged at Michonne’s lips as the thought hit her- their home was filled with love, their kids were happy and they were about to bring another life into the world; the honey bees were just the symbol of the love they all shared and the promises that were expected to come.

 


	3. Mother's Day (May)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks to your reviews and positive feedback, I decided to make this a series of one-shots that will focus on this AU Grimes 2.0 family, but mostly on Judith and Michonne. It will probably be a ten part series (though more might be added later) and I have most of them planned out already, but if you have a prompt request, let me know! Send me a message on here, my tumblr (name is in my bio) or just leave it in a review, I'll be more than happy to hear your thoughts. Thank you again and enjoy!

Judith carefully poured the orange juice in the glass, making sure that it was halfway full before setting the carton down on the counter. She picked up the glass and placed it on the tray, right beside the small vase of flowers that Carl picked had picked up from the store that morning. She folded her arms and looked over the contents of the tray to make sure everything was set- the flowers, orange juice, a bowl of fruit and a small cup of syrup. All that was left was the pancakes that her older brother was taking forever to make.

"Carl," she said. "We need the pancakes."

Carl, who was standing at the stove, turned around with a pan that held two golden brown pancakes, cooked to perfection- just the way that Michonne liked it. "They're done. You got the plate?"

She pointed to the glass plate that was beside the fruit on the tray. "Right there."

After stacking the pancakes on the plate, Carl stood back and rubbed his hands together, proud of their work and creation. They had gotten up nearly an hour earlier to prepare Michonne's mother's day breakfast that they were gonna present to her while she was still in bed. They had a whole day planned out full of special activities for the special lady and they wanted to start it off right.

"Okay," he said, carefully picking up the tray so that nothing would spill or tip over. "Let's go."

"Yay!" Judith said loudly.

Carl shot her a warning look. She covered her mouth, her big eyes looking at him apologetically. He gave a small smile; she would never get in trouble with those eyes.

They quietly made their way upstairs and down the hall, tip-toeing so that the floorboards would not creak. Once they reached the door at the end of the hall, Judith knocked. Within minutes, their father answered the door, still dressed in his plain white t-shirt and pajama bottoms. His hair was disheveled and he still had the look of sleep in his eyes. He smiled at the sight of them.

"Good morning," he said, eyeing the tray. "Is this for me?"

"No, Daddy," Judith said. She tried to look past him for a glimpse of her mother. "It's Mother's day, not Father's day."

"Well, she's sleep, so maybe I should have it instead," he joked, reaching out to steal a piece of fruit.

"Daddy!"

Rick held up his hands in defeat, munching on the grape in his mouth. "Okay, okay. Come on."

Judith rushed past him and over to her mother, still fast asleep in bed. She was lying on her side, the blanket pulled up to her chin, a peaceful look on her face. Judith reached out and brushed some of her locks out of her face to rouse her out of her sleep, the same way Michonne would do to her when she woke her up in the mornings.

Michonne's eyes opened and focused on Judith, a smile instantly appearing on her face. "Good morning, cutie. What are you doing up so early?"

"Happy Mother's Day!" Judith and Carl said in unison.

Michonne sat up, surprised at the audience that had gathered in her room. Her smile grew even bigger when she figured out what her kids were up to early this morning. "Oh, guys. You didn't have to do this."

Carl shrugged. "We know, but we wanted to. You deserve it. Here." He waited until she sat back against the headboard, placing the tray on her lap.

Her eyes fell on the pancakes and her mouth began to water instantly. As she entered her fourth month of pregnancy, the morning sickness had finally subsided and she was back to eating most of the foods from her regular diet. Just a couple of weeks back, she couldn't stand the smell or taste of pancakes, one of her favorite foods. Now, she couldn't wait to dig in to make up for lost time.

Her appreciation for the thoughtful gesture brought tears to her eyes as she held a hand to her chest and looked at all of her loved ones surrounding her. "Thank you so much. You really didn't have to do this."

Carl awkwardly stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged off the appreciation. "Like I said, we wanted to. You're our mother and you do everything for us. Now it's our turn to do something in return. We have a whole day planned out for you."

Michonne picked up the silverware and cut into the pancakes, shaking her head. "This is enough for me, Carl. Seriously. I'll take pancakes all day."

Judith jumped in, her eyes widening. "But, Mommy, we have to take you-" she started before Carl interrupted her.

"Judith," he warned for the second time that day.

She clasped a hand over her mouth again, covering her smile that came along with that bubbling excited feeling she had whenever she had a secret surprise to withhold. "Sorry."

Michonne laughed and pat the space beside her on the bed. "Come on and help me eat this food before you tell me any more secrets."

Judith jumped up onto the bed beside her, happily taking a strawberry from out of the bowl and popping it into her mouth. The child's love for fruit was endless, reminding Carl of the other special lady from years ago that had once loved fruit just as much.

As if reading his mind, Michonne asked softly, "Are you going to visit her today?"

Carl nodded, still marveling at the fact that she could read him like a book and was always spot on to what he was thinking. The visit had been a tradition for the last six years for him, Rick and Judith, with Michonne joining along for the last five years. Right before dinner, they would head out to Darby Park, over to the tree that stood closest to the lake on the far right side and sit down on the bench, reflecting on past memories and moments that seemed so long ago, but yet, were still etched onto their minds. His and Judith's biological mother's, Lori, ashes were spread right on that spot, her favorite spot, six years ago and every holiday they would stop by to visit and pay their respects. But today, Mother's day, was always his favorite moment to stop by because he was always reminded that he and Judith had two mothers that they loved.

"Yeah. Before dinner though. I have some flowers that Judes and I can leave."

Michonne looked down at the young girl, who had stopped eating upon hearing her name. "How's that, cutie? You wanna go visit your Mom today?"

Judith's brow furrowed, but she nodded.

* * *

Michonne looked at herself in the mirror. She smoothed down the fabric of the green dress she was wearing, her bump sticking out just an inch or so more than it was a few weeks ago when she and Rick first delivered the big news to the kids. This was one of her favorite dresses and, by the looks of it, she would have to hang it up soon as the fabric around the stomach area was getting tighter than she liked.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She sighed as she placed her hand on her bump.

Grabbing her purse and a light sweater for in case it got cold in the restaurant, she made her way down the hall. She stopped at Judith's room, peeking her head in to see the little girl sitting on the bed, a picture frame in her hand. She was wearing a floral green dress with a pink bow tied in her hair. She had taken a liking to the dress and begged Rick to buy it when they spotted it in a store a few weeks ago, citing that it reminded her of Michonne's dress.

"You ready, cutie? The boys are waiting for us downstairs."

Judith shook her head without looking up, her eyes still staring down at the photo in her hand. Michonne frowned slightly as she walked over and sat beside her, curious as to what was bothering the young girl. She had been indifferent to almost everything since breakfast this morning and none of her family members could figure out why or pry the information out of her.

She glanced at the picture and she could instantly feel her heart break. Lori was holding a newborn Judith, a smile of elation and pride spread on her face as she looked into the camera. The picture was kept on her nightstand by the bed, so that, per Michonne, she would always have her mother's smiling face to greet her every morning.

"Hey," Michonne said as she reached out and tucked a piece of stray hair behind Judith's ear. "What's on your mind? You've been quiet all day."

Judith looked up at her, her sad eyes baring into hers. "Is it okay if I have two Mommies?"

The question caught Michonne off guard, mostly because the young girl never questioned having both a mother and a stepmother in her life. She asked Rick and Carl the usual questions about Lori- what was she like, what was her favorite food, etc every now and then since she was too young to remember her when she passed away. However, she started calling Michonne "Mommy" shortly after Rick and Michonne's wedding four and a half years ago. Carl started it and Judith seemed to follow suit.

Michonne placed a hand on her back, a show of comfort. "Yes, it's okay if you have two mothers. In fact, that just means that you're loved twice as much and have two women that look after you and want what's best for you."

Judith nodded, though she wasn't as convinced by the answer. "But I don't want you to feel bad when I go visit her."

Michonne closed her eyes, now understanding Judith's sudden withdrawal from this morning; it happened suddenly after her and Carl discussed going by the park today. "Oh, baby. Come here." She held out her arms and Judith climbed onto her lap, setting the picture down beside them on the bed. "I won't feel bad when you visit her; I'm glad you're going. She's your mother. She loved you very dearly and brought you into this world. You have every right to see and know about her."

"But you're my mother, too. Can I still call you 'Mommy'?"

Michonne smiled, trying to sniff back the tears that were forming. "Yeah, you can still call me 'Mommy.' But only if you want to."

Judith wiped away a stray tear that had escaped from the corner of Michonne's eye and slipped down her cheek. "I do want to, Mommy."

They hugged each other tightly, never wanting to let go of each other from the comfort and love that the other had. Outside in the hallway, they could hear the floorboards creek as one of the men made the trek towards the room. Rick appeared a few seconds later, preparing to let them know that they had to get going soon. He stopped in the doorway at the sight of his girls hugging and having a moment together. Smiling, he slowly made his way back downstairs, not wanting to disturb the moment.

"We have to go," Michonne said, pulling away from the hug. "Are you better now?"

She nodded, this time more enthusiastically. "Yes!"

"Good." She pinched her cheeks, standing and grabbing her daughter's hand. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Judith struggled to keep her eyes open as she snuggled next to her mother on the couch, her father on the other side of her. Carl was lying on the other end of their sectional couch, his eyes barely open as he tried to focus on the television screen in front of them. They were in the living room of their home, tired after a long day and from a full dinner, watching a movie that was randomly chosen by the kids.

Michonne glanced down at the little girl in her arms, noticing that she was now fully asleep, her breathing soft and steady. She glanced over at her husband, who had his arm behind his head as he leaned back against the couch, his eyelids drooping. Catching her movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned to her, giving her a lazy smile. He used his other arm to wrap around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed, content after a long, but filling day.

"This is good," he whispered.

"Hmm, it is," she agreed, smiling. She touched at the necklace around her neck that she was given as a gift from Rick and the kids at dinner: a gold 'M'. "It was a wonderful evening. Thank you."

They had dinner at their favorite restaurant in town. Rick had the waitress set the table up with flowers and homemade cards that Carl and Judith had made a couple of nights before, causing Michonne to collapse in tears for seemingly the hundredth time that day.

"Of course," he said. "It was the least we can do. We're lucky to have you. We love you and you deserve the best, especially after dealing with our crazy family."

She laughed. "Well, some of your crazy might have rubbed off on me by now."

"Oh, it probably has," he chuckled. He shifted his weight so that he could lean over and kiss her on the forehead. "But we'll be okay."

Michonne shook her head, her lips still in a smile. Glancing between the kids, her mind drifted back to just a few hours earlier when they were back at the park. Each person took a couple of minutes to pay their respects to Lori separately. Michonne went last, thanking the woman for her raising such wonderful, well rounded children and promising she would do everything in her power to keep it going.

"Think we should head upstairs?" Rick asked, interrupting her thoughts. The movie had just finished and another was about to begin.

She looked down at Judith and then over at Carl. Both were fast asleep. She shook her head.

"No, let's just stay here for a little bit longer," she said, reaching up to hold his hand that was on her shoulder.

Rick nodded his agreement, closing his eyes and letting his body succumb to the sleepiness that had overcome him. "Happy Mother's Day, Michonne."


	4. Take a Break (June)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judith wants to spend quality time with Michonne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you need to step away from your busy life to cherish the moments around you..

"Okay, so you packed her sunscreen, right? What about her hat? The sun is blazing out there."

Rick sighed as Michonne shuffled through Judith's book bag for the third time that morning. "Everything is in there, Chonne. Including her sunscreen and the water bottle you put in there earlier."

"And her hat?"

He pointed to their daughter standing only a couple of feet away from them, her curious eyes peeking out from underneath her Atlanta Braves hat. "On her head."

It was Saturday and Rick was taking Judith, Carl and Carl's girlfriend, Enid, to a baseball game. He had initially planned for the whole family to go, but Michonne opted out, giving her ticket to Enid and choosing to stay home and finish up some paperwork for work. She had been running around constantly due to the kids' and her own busy schedules; an alone day at home for a couple of hours would help get the work done.

"Okay, good," she said, zipping up the book bag and handing it over to her husband. "Just please make sure that she doesn't take the hat off. Last time she did, she came home flushed. And make sure Carl drinks enough water. I don't want him to pass out while he's in the stands."

"We're going to be fine," Rick assured her as he rubbed her arm. "Get some work done and take care of my other kid please." He pointed at her stomach.

Michonne smiled as her hands instantly rubbed at her bump. "Oh, don't worry. This kid is definitely getting the star treatment." She kissed him on his jaw line, loving the way his prickly salt and pepper beard felt on her lips.

She walked over to Judith, crouching down in front of her so they were face to face. "Okay, cutie, you have fun with Daddy and Carl today."

"Can you please go with us?" Judith pouted. She hated the idea of leaving her mother behind.

"No, I'm sorry, baby." Michonne smoothed down Judith's ponytail, making a mental note to herself to give the little girl a haircut sometime this weekend. "I have a lot of work to do, but I want to hear all about the game when you get back. Okay?"

"But won't you be lonely by yourself?"

"No, I have your baby brother or sister, remember?" She rubbed her stomach, hoping to ease her daughter's worries. "He or she will keep me company. We'll be fine."

Judith nodded, though the pout was still on her face. Michonne kissed her on the forehead before standing up and looking over at Carl who was standing by the counter typing away on his cell phone. Michonne rolled her eyes; the cell phone was basically attached to the teenager's hands nowadays, his mind oblivious to his surroundings.

"And you," she covered the screen of his phone with her hand, hoping to get his attention. He looked up at her with his father's blue eyes and a smirk on his face. "No kissing around her your father and Judith. I don't want to hear about a man having a heart attack at the game."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom."

"Buy her lunch. Don't try too hard, either. Just be yourself."

"Mom, I'm always myself around her." He raised his hands, grinning. "Why do you think she's going out with me?"

Michonne shook her head, a chuckle leaving her lips. "Now don't be too confident. I'll see you guys later. Tell Enid I said hello."

She walked them out to the car then waved as they drove off. She sighed as she walked into the house, closing her eyes and resting her back against the door, basking in the suddenly quiet house. It had been so long since she had a moment to herself. Unfortunately, instead of curling up on the sofa with a bowl of chocolate ice cream and a Netflix movie on the television, she had work to do.

Paperwork was piled on the desk in her office. Throughout her last five years as owner of the local art gallery, she had never been behind on her duties. However, after one of her best employees left just a couple of weeks ago, things started to add up and she needed to reduce it in order to avoid any more potential build up.

It wasn't even thirty minutes later when she heard the front door open. Thinking that Carl or Rick forgot something, she ignored it and went about her work. It wasn't until she spotted two figures in her peripheral vision standing in the doorway.

She looked up to see Rick holding Judith's hand. Judith's cheeks were red and her eyes were puffy. Rick pinched the bridge of his nose before looking back at Michonne apologetically.

"She started crying as soon as we left Enid's house," he explained. "She said she didn't want to leave you and didn't want to go with us to the game."

Judith sniffled and wiped at her eyes.

"Maybe I can call Shane and Andrea to watch her while you work," he continued. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, ready to make the call to their friends.

Michonne sighed. She rubbed her temples. "No, the baby is sick so they won't be able to watch her."

"What about Sasha and Abraham?"

"They're out of town this weekend. Remember? They went to visit Sasha's brother down in Florida." Michonne stood and walked over to them. "Rick, Judith can stay here. We'll be fine. Go and enjoy the game."

Rick raised his eyebrows, eyeing the stack of papers on her desk behind her. "Are you sure?"

Michonne gave him a small smile. "I'm pretty sure I can handle our kid. Yes, I'm sure. Go on, have fun." She placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him around, guiding him out of the office and to the front door. "I'll call you if we need anything."

He kissed her on the lips. "All right, if you insist." He turned to Judith, who had followed them. She was holding her backpack in her hands, her hat lopsided on her head. He knelt down in front of her, pinching at her cheek. "Don't give Mommy a hard time, okay? You gotta be a big girl."

Judith nodded, a smile appearing on her face for the first time all day. "Yes, Daddy."

After Rick left, Michonne closed the door, resting her back against it for the second time that day as she faced her daughter. The little girl smiled up at her, happy that she was now back at home with her mother. Michonne chuckled, thinking to herself how she was going to get anything done today.

"Why don't you watch a movie while I work? How does that sound?"

Judith thought about it for a moment, resting her finger on her chin. "Can I watch _Moana_?"

Michonne exhaled and ran a hand through her locs. The Disney movie was a favorite of Judith's; so much so that she watched it every week. Michonne was pretty sure everyone in the house knew every word to all of the songs and dialogue by now. However, if it kept her happy, they would keep it playing.

"Sure. I'll get you set up in the living room. Come on." She held out her hand for Judith to grab before making their way into the next room.

* * *

Michonne sighed frustratingly as she stuffed some of her papers into a manila folder and filed it away in her file cabinet. An hour and a half had passed and she was still nowhere near done.

In the next room over, she could hear the movie still playing. She periodically checked on Judith, making sure the little girl was content, comfortable and not too bored. When she checked on her fifteen minutes ago, she had spread out a picnic blanket on the floor in front of the television for her, complete with her lunch: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a juice box.

Just as she rested her head in her hands, she heard the sound of glass breaking coming from the kitchen. Rushing to see what it was and thinking the worst, she walked out to find a frightened Judith standing in the kitchen by the counter, a broken glass on the floor and a carton of milk in her hand.

"Judith! What are you doing?" She took the carton of milk from her and set it on the counter before gently maneuvering Judith away from the glass. "I told you if you need anything, come and get me; don't do it all by yourself."

Judith's eyes glazed over as she looked down, her pout from that morning returning. "I was just trying to feed you and the baby," she croaked out softly.

The confession caused Michonne to pause. She looked over at the young girl and sighed. She had spent so much time worrying about getting her work done that she was oblivious to the subtle signs that her daughter wanted to be close with her and spend time with her today. So much had been going on for the past couple of weeks that they had not really spent a lot of alone time together, besides the ten minute car drive to school in the mornings.

Michonne knelt down in front of the girl, pulling her in for a hug. Judith buried her face into the crook of her neck, her hands gently rubbing her back reassuringly.

"Let's take a break," she said, pulling away. "So we can spend the rest of the day together. How does that sound?"

Judith frowned slightly. "But what about your work?"

"Ah," Michonne waved her hand dismissingly. "That can wait until later. I love you more than work," she playfully poked at Judith's belly causing her to laugh. "Let's grab a honey stick and go outside."

They moved the picnic blanket outside to the front yard, a few feet away from the front porch. Michonne brought out the honey sticks that that she had gotten from the farmer's market a couple of days before; the treat was Judith's favorite.

"Do you want a baby brother or sister?"

"A brother!" she answered to Michonne's surprise. "I love boy babies and he won't play with my toys."

Michonne laughed. "A good big sister shares her toys."

Judith shrugged and was about to answer when a bee landed on her hand. A look of panic ran across her face as she took in the scene. "Mommy…" she said shakily.

"No, no, don't panic," Michonne said calmly. "He just wants to nibble at the honey on your fingers; he won't bite. Give him a few minutes and he'll fly away. Don't move."

Judith did as told, sitting still and staring down at the insect on her hand. She laughed as she felt the bee move from the middle of her finger down to her fingertip, taking up all of the leftover honey from the honey stick. Once its job was done, the bee flew away. Judith smiled brightly as she stood up and started dancing around the blanket.

"Did you see that, Mommy? I wasn't scared!" she said ecstatically. "We're still saving the bees."

"Yes, we are," Michonne smiled. She watched as her daughter continued dancing around the blanket, thankful for times like this and promising herself that nothing would come in between the memories she made with her family.


	5. 21 Hours (June)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grimes family find out whether the newest member of their family will be a boy or girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any prompt requests that you would like to see for Judchonne, please let me know! I'll fit them into this ten (or maybe eleven- depending on the response) part series. Enjoy!

"Mommy, am I going to have a little brother or little sister?"

Michonne smiled as she turned towards Judith, who was sitting beside her. They were sitting in Michonne and Rick's walk-in closet going through her clothes, packing away the shirts and pants that she could not wear anymore. Her stomach had swelled out even more as they neared the end of the month and the beginning of her nineteenth week of pregnancy.

"We don't know yet, cutie," Michonne said as she folded her favorite purple shirt and set it in the plastic storage bin. "We'll find out tomorrow once Auntie Sasha comes over."

"Does she know whether it's a little brother or sister?"

"She does," Michonne tapped Judith's nose, causing the little girl to burst into giggles.

Rick and Michonne had specifically asked the obstetrician, Dr. Carson, not to tell them their baby's gender on their most recent appointment two weeks ago. While both were curious as to what the newest member of their family would be, they decided to do a small gender reveal party at their house for family and closest friends. However, the curiosity and anxiousness was getting to the whole family, especially Judith, who constantly wondered if she would have to share her toys or not. Carl was hoping it would be a boy; in his words, he didn't want two little sisters. Rick's guess switched back and forth between a boy or girl every other day while Michonne's gut told her that it was a boy. She wasn't sure how she knew, mother's intuition, she guessed, but she was sticking with it.

"Is she gonna surprise us?" Judith gasped. "And bring over a cake?"

Michonne laughed. "She is going to surprise us but I don't know how. I'll tell her to bring a cake, okay?"

Dr. Carson had written the baby's gender down on a piece of paper and sealed it in a envelope. Michonne had given it over to her best friend, Sasha, who insisted that she plan the entire party. Everything from the food, the guests and the decorations- she would do it. All Rick and Michonne had to do, besides making sure that their living room was clean for the guests and party, was sit back and relax.

"Hopefully, she doesn't forget the surprise," Rick said, standing in the doorway. He had just came in from work and was wearing his khaki slacks with a dark blue button down shirt, one of Michonne's favorite colors to see him in. "Remember she left our wedding rings at your house before our wedding? We had to have a ceremony without rings."

"She had a lot to do that day," Michonne said, attempting to defend her friend. She silently hoped that Sasha would not mess tomorrow up. "Give her a break."

"We'll see."

He held out his arms so Judith could give him a hug. Picking her up into his arms, he kissed her on the cheek before rubbing her back as she rested her head on his shoulder. Michonne's heart skipped a beat as she watched the scene. She wondered if their next kid would be a daddy's girl as well.

"I can't wait until tomorrow," she said, standing up. Rick offered his hand to help, but she refused. She wanted to enjoy the times she could still stand up unassisted. "We've been waiting for this day for months."

They made their way to the bedroom. Judith's fingers toyed with her father's beard. "Daddy, can I get a popsicle?"

Before Rick could answer, Michonne interrupted, her voice firm. "Judith, you know the rules- no dessert before dinner. If you want a snack, go grab a banana out of the fruit bowl."

Rick nodded his agreement. "Dinner will be ready soon. Go ahead, you heard your mother." He put the little girl down with a final peck on the cheek. In a matter of seconds, she was gone.

He chucked quietly as he walked over to his wife. "Did she try to get one over on us?"

"I think she did," she said as he gave her a kiss on the lips. His hands moved down to her belly for a rub then a quick kiss for the baby. "Was Carl like that as a young kid?"

"Oh, yeah, he used to do it to Lori and I all of the time. Hopefully this next one isn't like that."

"With you as their father, they may very well be" she said jokingly.

Rick playfully threw one of her shirts that was on the bed at her. He proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes, tired after a long day of work and grateful that tomorrow was Saturday. "What time does the party start tomorrow?"

"Two o'clock on the dot, according to Sasha. She's coming over around one to set up." Michonne sighed as she sat beside him. He picked up her hand and kissed it, his thumb caressing her wrist. "I can't wait until little Peanut is here."

Rick frowned slightly. "Peanut?"

"Yeah, I couldn't call him or her 'it' anymore, so I just randomly thought of the name Peanut a couple of days ago. Until we think of the right name."

"Peanut.." Rick squinted his eyes as he said the name out loud. "I like that."

"Me, too. I still think it's a boy, though." She glanced over at him, knowing that today he would think the opposite. However, he was silent as he continued to take off his shoes.

He nodded his head, avoiding eye contact with her. "Yeah, I guess so."

Her brows furrowed as she studied the side of his face. It wasn't what he said but the way he said it. Like he was guilty of something. Her mind quickly raced back to their doctor's appointment. They couldn't tell what they were having as the doctor was careful not to give them any revealing sonograms. She then thought of the moment at the end when they were just about to leave when the nurse dropped the clipboard with the information that was handed to her from the doctor and Rick, being the Southern gentleman that he always was, offered to help pick up the papers. She gasped as the realization hit her.

"Riiicckk," she drew his name out. He ran a hand over his beard as he stood. "You know!"

"The paper was right there in front of me when I went to help the nurse pick up the papers," he explained. "I couldn't unsee it."

"Oh, gosh, Rick." She held up her hands. "Okay, it's okay. Just, whatever you do, don't give us any of hints, okay? We still have another twenty-one hours before we officially find out. Please."

"Of course. I won't say a word." He smiled down at her sheepishly. "I've kept it a secret for about two weeks now. I can keep it a little bit longer."

She rolled her eyes as she stood, preparing to go downstairs and start on dinner. "I hope so."

* * *

"Okay, cutie, pick out a book that you want to read."

Judith ran over to her bookcase. She ran a finger along the sides of the many books she had stacked onto each shelf, already having an idea of what she wanted for her bedtime story. Once she spotted the book, she removed it from the shelf and ran back over to her mother who was lying on one side of her bed. She held up the book proudly as she climbed in bed beside her. Michonne smiled as she read the title:  _Misty Copeland, Power and Grace._

"This one again, huh?" Michonne took the book from her. Sasha had given Judith the book as a gift for Christmas after learning that she was a fan of the famous ballerina. She had learned about her in one of her ballet classes last year and had become obsessed with the dancer, vowing to be just like her when she grew up.

Judith situated herself under her blanket, ready for the story. Before Michonne began to read, Judith looked up at her and said, "Mommy, if Peanut is a girl, can we name her Misty?"

Michonne smiled. "I'll have to talk that over with Daddy first, but it is a pretty name." She opened the book to the first page. "Okay. Let's begin."

After Judith was tucked in and fast asleep, Michonne made her way down the hall. She poked her head into Carl's bedroom to see that he was asleep with his textbook on his chest. She placed it on his nearby desk, turned off his lamp and quietly walked out of the room and into her bedroom further down the hall.

Rick was already in bed, a book in his hand as he waited on his wife. He smiled his greeting as she climbed in beside him, putting his book on the nightstand. Michonne exhaled as she allowed her body to finally relax. "I'm so tired."

"You should be," Rick said as he caressed the side of her face. "We've had a long week. We need to start slowing it down soon."

"We will... eventually."

She reached over to turn off her lamp, Rick doing the same on his side. He wrapped his arms around her, the same way they slept every night. The room was now pitch black and quiet, with the exception of the crickets outside of the window. Michonne ran a hand over her belly, hoping to dream of her baby tonight.

"Can you give me a hint?" she whispered.

He laughed, his eyes still closed. "Nope. We have another seventeen hours."

"It was worth a shot."

* * *

"Sasha, this looks great," Michonne said, her eyes sweeping around the living room.

Sasha had kept it simple with blue and pink streamers hanging from the ceiling and balloons scattered around the room. Over to the side of the room was a table that held appetizers, drinks and a small cake with chocolate icing. A couple of feet away from the table was a huge black cardboard box that was hanging from the ceiling with the words, "It's a..." painted on the side and a single string dangling from it.

"Maggie helped me make it," Sasha explained as Michonne and Rick marveled at the creativity. "All you have to do is pull on the string."

"Can we do it now?" Judith asked excitedly.

"Well," Michonne said, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was thirty minutes past two and everyone had already arrived and were settled. The main event had to be done soon.

She looked over at Rick, who had a small smile on his face. He had done a great job of keeping the secret, even after her trying to pry it out of him the night before. "You ready?"

Sasha gathered everyone around- Carl, Enid, Rosita, Tara, Aaron, Eric, Jesus, Carol, Maggie, Glenn, Shane and Andrea. Judith shifted happily as she stood beside her mother, holding tightly onto her hand, her arms swinging back and forth.

"Do you want to do the honors, Cutie?" she asked the little girl.

"Can I?"

"Hold on, someone get the camera!" Sasha said. She pointed over at Aaron, knowing that he always had his camera ready. "Make sure you get a picture of this."

Rick picked up Judith in his arms so she could easily reach the string. She carefully held onto the string and waited until everyone counted to three before going on. With one pull, a steady stream of blue balloons and blue confetti fell from the box and on to the floor to the cheers of everyone.

"It's a boy!" Judith said, clapping her hands. She hugged her father than reached over to hug her mother. Once Rick set her down on the floor, she kissed her mother's stomach.

Tears filled Michonne's eyes as her husband pulled her in for a kiss. She looked up at him and noticed that he was teary eyed as well.

"You were right," he whispered. "Mother's intuition?"

She shrugged, still on cloud nine. "I guess so." She wiped away a stray tear that had slipped from her eye. "You ready to do this again?"

He tucked a stray loc behind her ear, his eyes lovingly bore into hers. "The two of us, you and me, together.. we got this and I'm more than ready."


	6. Bee Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judith and Michonne are back with their Operation Save the Bees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This one shot is based off a prompt from CLKit- Michonne and Judy planted all the flowers but at school maybe they have a save the bees awareness day or an earth day celebration and that's where Judy finds out about bee hotels and comes home insisting they need one.
> 
> Thank you for all of the prompt requests that you have sent me so far! Each one will be fulfilled so be on the lookout. Also, for GrimesChonne, who left this request- I'd be interested in reading about Michonne first meeting the kids. Especially how she formed such a special bond with Judith- I have something separate planned for this that will come about a little bit later so be on the lookout for that as well.
> 
> Thank you all again for the amazing reviews and feedback! I enjoy reading every last one of them. Enjoy!

**Bee Hotel (July)**

Michonne patiently tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she waited for the traffic light to turn green. She glanced at the clock as she hummed along to the pop song on the radio, glad she left work ten minutes earlier than usual. She was on her way to pick up Judith from her summer science camp, a program that her teacher, Rosita Espinosa- or Miss Rosita, as she liked for the kids to call her- was instructing for three weeks for the elementary kids in King's County. With both Rick and Michonne working and Carl taking summer classes plus working his part-time job, Michonne figured it was the perfect opportunity for Judith to learn and keep busy during the day. It also helped that science had became one of Judith's favorite subjects this year, after she had taken an extra interest in nature, wildlife and insects since learning about the save the bees project back in March.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of the school where the camp was being held. The kids were waiting outside lined up on the sidewalk, all trying to get Rosita's attention as she had the parents sign off their child's name on a clipboard before they left with their child. Michonne shielded her eyes from the sun as she made her way from the car and towards the group. Once she reached the front, she signed off Judith's name and looked for her in the line.

"Mommy!"

Michonne smiled brightly as Judith ran up to her and wrapped her arms around her waist, happy to see her mother after a long day at camp.

"Hey, baby." Michonne pulled away and looked down at her daughter, tucking a stray strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. She chuckled lightly at the fact that the perfect french braid she had styled her hair in that morning was now loose and the blue bow that was used to fasten the end was gone. She was the typical busybody. "How was your day?"

"Good! Miss Rosita talked about bees again today and we had a guest speaker." Judith grabbed Michonne's hand as they walked towards the SUV, swinging their arms happily, excited to tell her mother about the new information she had learned. "His name was Dr. Eugene and he taught us about bee hotels."

"Really? And what is that?"

"It's a house where bees stay and make nests," she explained. "Solitary bees, not honey bees."

Michonne laughed in amusement, delighted in the fact that her daughter was enjoying and learning so much about the world around her. "And what are solitary bees?"

Judith's forehead wrinkled as she thought hard on what Miss Rosita taught her earlier that day. "They don't make honey and they don't sting. And they live in houses called hotels!" She eagerly tugged on Michonne's hand as Michonne pressed the car key remote to unlock the doors. "Can we make a bee hotel, Mommy, please? Dr. Eugene said that if we all make one, we can help save even more bees. "

Judith looked up at her with those big brown eyes, pleading for her permission and support. Michonne couldn't help but smile; after five years of loving and raising this little girl, she still found it hard to say no to her. "Okay, we can, but we have to do our research first. We'll go home and look up how to make one on the internet after we make dinner tonight. Sound like a plan?"

A wide smile spread across Judith's face as she gave her mother a thumbs up. "It's a plan."

"Or you can come by the farm and I'll show you how to make one," a voice said from behind them.

They turned to see Maggie Rhee walking towards them, her son Hershel's hand in hers. Hershel waved at Judith as if he hadn't seen her all day. The two kids were the same age and, due to the closeness of both of their families, regarded each other as best friends.

"Maggie, I know you're busy with the kids and the farm, especially with the harvest right now," Michonne said. "I don't want to intrude. We should be helping you, not the other way around."

Maggie dismissed her comments with a wave. "Oh please. Taking our minds off of the harvest, that's helping us. Besides, we need to do our part and help save the bees, too, don't we, buddy?" She playfully nudged Hershel's shoulder with her arm and he let out a laugh and a nod. "Come on over in the morning. We already have everything at the house."

"Have you made a bee hotel before?" Michonne quizzed.

"Of course I have." Maggie teasingly rolled her eyes. "I grew up on a farm; we had every animal and insect you can think of. Just trust us, city girl."

Michonne shook her head, realizing that she would never be able to escape that nickname she had earned years ago when she first moved to King's County. "We'll be there bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Good. And don't eat breakfast before you leave the house. We can make some blueberries pancakes with the kids when you guys get there. We have more than enough from the harvest."

"It's a plan," Judith repeated, causing the adults to laugh.

* * *

 

The next day, after an eventful morning of preparing and eating breakfast and finding the right tools for the bee hotel, Michonne, Maggie and the kids began their continuation of Operation Save the Bees, as Judith referred to it as. They ventured out to the garden, choosing a sunny area near the back to where they would mount the two boxes that Maggie had made out of marine plywood that morning. They were going to fill each box with wood blocks that had holes drilled in them and bamboo sticks, making sure they that each item were tightly compacted enough to prevent movement.

Judith and Michonne worked on one box while Maggie and Hershel worked on another. Michonne watched as Judith focused intently on the task at hand, placing each individual stick into the box. Judith glanced up at her, noticing her mother's gaze and provided her with a small smile.

"Help me, Mommy," she said, handing her a stick. "We have to make sure all of the bees have a place to stay."

Michonne did as told, chuckling lightly at the order. "You have a very generous heart, Judith Grimes."

Judith was quiet for a moment, a frown easing its way onto her face as her movements slowed. Her head hung slightly as she said sadly, "Becky at camp says that I'm mean and I can't play with her anymore."

Michonne exhaled, closing her eyes to process the words. She had mentally prepared herself for this conversation, knowing that although Judith was a smart, headstrong little girl and was able to stand up for herself, she would encounter a roadblock or, in this case, a mean girl like Becky one day. She actually knew the little girl's family; her mother being the greedy, ill-mannered woman that tried to shut down her art museum a couple of years ago.

_Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree_ , she thought.

"I don't know why she said that," Judith continued, resuming her task of putting the bamboo sticks inside of the box. "I'm always nice to her."

"Sometimes there are people out there who are mean for no reason," Michonne explained gently. "You may have something that they envy or wish they had so they try to bring you down, but you can't let them get to you."

Judith nodded, though she still had a hint of the frown on her face.

"Plus," she continued, tilting her head so that she could see Judith's face. "You already have some amazing friends- Sarah, Andi, Hershel." She nodded her head towards Maggie and Hershel just a few feet away, still working on their hotel. She could see Maggie smile out of the corner of her eye.

"They know that you're the kindest, most thoughtful human being out here. I mean, look at us, we're helping save the bees and the environment." She gestured at the box that was nearly full of wood blocks and bamboo sticks. "That is something that a mean person wouldn't do as far as I'm concerned. So hold your head up," she said, placing a finger under Judith's chin to tilt her head up so that they were face to face. "And don't ever let someone tell you what kind of person you are; you show them.'

Judith's frown was replaced with a smile to Michonne's delight, her heart slowly mending back together. She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck with a tight squeeze, her favorite type of hug, and a kiss on the cheek. The gesture was enough to cause Michonne's eyes to fill with tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks as they held onto each other. Michonne didn't want to let go, didn't want Judith to face the harsh people in this world and so badly wanted to keep her in the safety of her arms just a little bit longer. However, she had to remind herself it was all a part of Judith growing up and taking on the world with the values that her family instilled in her. So she returned the squeeze, hoping to etch the memory of the present into her memory to make it last forever.

"Are you okay now?" she asked as Judith pulled away and sat back down on the ground.

Judith smiled, her spirits obviously lifted as she nodded. "Yes, Mommy."

"Good." Michonne pinched her cheek before they resumed their task. She glanced over at Maggie, who already had her eyes on her. With a small smile on her face, Maggie, having heard the whole conversation between the two, nodded her head in understanding and approval before looking away to help Hershel.

"We're going to save the bees, Mommy," Judith said confidently. "We will."

Michonne smiled. The world- and the bees- were blessed to have such a wonderful and loving spirit in Judith Grimes. "We will.'"


	7. Step by Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ricks gives Michonne a break and helps Judith get ready for bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jbrichonne on Tumblr wanted a scene with Rick doing his daughter's hair. Hope you enjoy it!

**Step by Step (July)**

Rick's eyebrows furrowed as he ran the brush through Judith's golden curls, ready but still somewhat unprepared for the task at hand. He was sitting on the edge of her twin bed with Judith sitting on a pillow at his feet, her back to him as she read from one of her favorite books,  _The Snowy Day,_ out loud to him, oblivious to her father's nervousness.

Michonne was usually the one that brushed and braided up Judith's hair at night right before bed. However, after a tough day at work and the pregnancy taking a toll on her body, she retired to bed soon after dinner, Rick gladly taking over Judith's nightly routine. They had already completed the first steps- her face was washed, teeth were brushed and she was all snug in her pajamas. The current step made Rick pause as he looked down at his daughter's hair, trying to remember how to do a French braid the way Michonne had taught him.

Judith paused from her reading, noticing that her father was taking a little bit too long to begin. She turned her body slightly enough to glance up at him doubtfully, setting the book down on her lap. "Daddy, are you sure Mommy can't do my hair?"

"Mommy's tired, Judes. She needs her sleep." He gave her a reassuring smile, hoping to ease the frown on her face. "Trust me. I can figure this out."

Judith nodded before turning back around to resume her reading.

Rick took a deep breath as he carefully maneuvered her hair the way Michonne taught him, dividing the top part of her hair from the rest to start braiding that section before eventually moving down to collect the remaining of her hair into the braid. Once he secured the end of the braid with a small black rubber band, he exhaled and took a look at his work. The braid was loose with random strands sticking out and slightly uneven, but it was done. Not bad for his first time without supervision from his wife.

Done reading, Judith closed the book and stood, now facing Rick. She reached back to feel at her hair before running to the mirror that hung on the back of her closet door. Rick expected to see a look of disapproval on her face, noting that it was nothing like her mother's and was ready to offer a redo. To his surprise, she smiled instead, offering him a thumbs up as she walked back over to the bed.

"You like it?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes. It looks good for your first try." She paused before continuing. "Mommy says that no one gets stuff the first time. They have to keep trying because practice makes perfect. And I think you need some more practice."

He laughed, looking down at the ground before looking back up at his intelligent daughter. She was definitely Michonne's mini-me. "Mommy is right. Come on," he nodded towards the head of the bed. "Time to go to sleep. Your last day of camp is tomorrow and you have to get up early."

"Can I give Mommy a kiss goodnight first?"

"Alright, but you have to be quiet so you won't wake her or Peanut." He smiled at the nickname for the baby. Three more months to go and they were still undecided on a name. At this point, Peanut may just be the his legal name.

They made their way down the hall to Rick and Michonne's bedroom. The light on the nightstand by Michonne's side of the bed was still on, her body a lump under the blanket and her locks spread out across the pillows. Judith ran over to her and gently pressed a kiss on her cheek. Michonne, ever the light sleeper, woke from the gentle touch, her eyes squinting as she tried to register who was in front of her at the moment. She grinned fondly at Judith.

"Hi, cutie," she said, sleep evident in her voice, as she rubbed at her eyes. She tried to stifle a laugh as she noticed Judith's hair. She glanced over her shoulder at Rick as he got in bed beside her. "What did you do to our daughter's hair?"

"Let's just say I'm glad the next one is a boy. Although," he raised his eyebrows as a playful look appeared on his face. "Another girl wouldn't be so bad."

Michonne held up hand while shaking her head, already done with the conversation. "Oh, no. No more after this. We already have one of both; I am through."

Judith looked between the her two bickering parents, waiting until they were finished to move on to the question lingering on her mind. "Mommy, can I sleep with you and Daddy tonight?"

Michonne and Rick glanced over at each other. They were trying to wean Judith off of sleeping in bed with them at night, preparing all three for when the baby arrived in just a couple of more months. The plan was successful so far; after a rough few weeks of not initially on board with the plan, Judith now slept in her own bed in her room, even through the thunderstorms that she used to fear. They were hoping she wouldn't revert back, but one look at her pleading face was enough to pull Michonne in. So, she nodded towards the space between her and Rick, signaling her agreement.

After all three were situated and the room dark with the exception of the moonlight shining through the slightly parted window curtains, Judith was the first to fall asleep. Michonne reached down to smooth some of the strays hairs from Judith's braid. She gave a little laugh as she surveyed her husband's creation, making a mental note to herself to give him one more tutorial before he attempted to do this by himself ever again.

She glanced over at him, half expecting to see him fast asleep himself, but was met with his eyes on her. He gave a mischievous grin.

"Is this going to continue after the baby is born to prevent us from making another one?" He motioned to Judith, causing both to laugh. Judith moved then, cuddling closer to her mother, her light snoring not once faltering.

"Why don't we just focus on the ones we have now?" she replied, rubbing the hand he had resting in her hair. Though a small thought in the back of her mind was keen on the idea of having more children with this wonderful man, she decided to approach that subject for another day. Right now, they needed to take things step by step.


	8. The Fight (August)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michonne and Judith have a little falling out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt idea from a Guest reviewer: how would Michonne handle a fallout with Judith where she says you are not my mum. Not gonna lie, this was hard for me to write, but I pushed through. I apologize for being so late with this. I hope you guys enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review.

"But Mommy!"

"Judith, I said no," Michonne said firmly. "You've had enough cake. No more until tomorrow."

They were standing in the kitchen, glaring at each other, the subject of their argument sitting on the counter on a glass stand. Maggie had dropped off a chocolate cake at their house earlier. It was Judith's favorite and she had already scarfed down two pieces. She wanted a third piece after her dinner, but her request was quickly shot down by both of her parents.

Michonne covered the cake with the glass cover. "You don't need any cavities and with all of that sugar, you'll be bouncing off of the walls. School starts up soon and I want you back on a schedule." She turned to her daughter, who was scowling and standing with her arms folded. "Go on upstairs and brush your teeth, please. I'll be up to read you a book in a few minutes."

Judith didn't move at first, but when Rick, who was placing dirty dishes in the sink leftover from their dinner, gave her a serious look, she did as was told. As she made her way out of the kitchen, her feet stomped against the hardwood floor, echoing throughout the house.

"Judith Grimes," Michonne called out. "No stomping."

The next set of words out of Judith's mouth caught both Rick and Michonne off guard, the words that Michonne had always dreaded and prayed she would never have to hear.

"You're not my mom!"

They heard the door slam upstairs. Rick looked over at his wife, who had a mixture of shock, disappointment and sadness on her face. He quickly sprung into action.

"I'll go talk to her," he said before hurriedly making his way upstairs.

Michonne stood still for a couple of more moments before she exhaled, slowly walking over to the table to finish clearing the dishes away, her belly sticking out even more these days. Judith's words rang in her mind as she finished what had Rick started.

No, she wasn't Judith's real mother, but she loved her like she was her own. The Grimes family came along when she needed them the most and they happily accepted her as one of their own. She had been warned by a friend years ago that this day would come and to prepare herself, but, honestly, nothing could really prepare her for the pain those four little words had inflicted upon her.

She sat down at the table, burying her hands in her face to will away the tears. She took slow deep breaths to calm herself. The baby boy she harbored in her belly moved, kicking her a few times as he sensed his mother's stress and emotion.

"I'm alright, baby," she whispered, rubbing at her stomach. "I just need a few minutes."

"Hey."

Michonne looked up to see Rick standing on the other side of the table. He noticed the tears in her eyes and walked over to her, sitting in the chair beside her. He pulled her towards him, placing a kiss on her temple before she laid her head on his shoulder.

"You okay?" he said softly, rubbing her back.

She nodded her response, though he didn't believe her as he felt the tension in her body. If she wasn't okay, he wasn't okay.

"I spoke with her," he continued. "She started crying as soon as I walked into the room. She wants to apologize, but she's scared you're mad with her."

"She's just having a moody day."

Rick shook his head. "That still doesn't make it right."

A few minutes later, Michonne slowly opened the door to Judith's room. Judith was sitting on her small armchair by her bookcase, staring at a picture of her and Michonne on Rick and Michonne's wedding day nearly five years ago. She looked up when she heard the door creak open and quickly looked back down again in shame and embarrassment once she saw who it was.

Michonne sat on the edge of Judith's bed a few feet away from the armchair, placing her hands on her lap as she waited. There was a quiet tension in the room, the only sound from the running water in the kitchen sink downstairs.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Judith said in a low voice, finally looking up from the picture. Her cheeks were red and stained with tears. "I didn't mean it."

"I know," Michonne said softly. "But you can't act out like that when Daddy and I tell you to do something. When we tell you to do something, you do it. No excuses."

Judith nodded, a fresh batch of tears making its way down her cheeks. Her gaze fell on the picture again, wishing that she was old enough to remember that day.

"You were two years old in that picture," Michonne said, peering over at it. "And you were hard-headed back then, too." She chuckled. "The photographer only wanted a picture of Rick and I at that moment, but you somehow wiggled out of Grandma's arms and jumped into mine."

"Were you mad?"

Michonne smiled fondly as she thought back to that day. "No, I wasn't mad. No one was mad really. Everyone laughed."

She sighed. "Judith, I love being your mommy. I wouldn't change it for anything else in the world and I only hope that I'm doing right by you and Carl and little peanut. You three are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I will do everything I can to protect and love you, even when we don't agree with certain things. You understand?"

Judith nodded. Michonne held out her arms and she ran into them, burying her face into the crook of her neck.

"I love you, Mommy," Judith said in a muffled voice.

"How much?" Michonne asked, remembering their little game they used to play when she was younger.

Judith grinned, pulling away and holding out her arms horizontally. "This much!"

Michonne mirrored her stance. "To the moon and back."

An hour later, after Judith had fallen asleep during her bedtime story, Michonne quietly left out of the room, closing the door behind her. She walked downstairs to find Rick sitting at the table, a piece of chocolate cake on a plate in front of him. He shrugged guiltily as she sat beside him, a playful smirk on her face.

"You're going to bouncing off of the walls with all of that sugar," she teased, taking the fork out of his hand and stealing a bite.

He suggestively wiggled his eyebrows, his mind flashing back to their long previous night. "I figured I would need all the energy I can get tonight."

She nudged his arm with her shoulder, reaching over for another bite. "Yeah, well, I'll see what I can do tonight. I'm beat."

Rick nodded towards the stairs. "You were up there for a while. Everything okay?"

"It is now," she said, placing the fork on the plate. "We had a little talk and smoothed things out."

"Good." He picked the fork back up and finishing off the last bit of the cake.

Michonne eyed him carefully, noticing the anger and worry lines that were creased into his forehead earlier were now gone. He seemed relaxed now. "You're okay."

"How do you know?" he looked over at her.

"Because I'm okay, too."


	9. Three Perfect Strangers

**September**

"Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Michonne looked up from her paperwork to see Carl standing in her bedroom doorway, his long hair brushing against his shoulders and that sideswept bang that she often begged him to cut was covering his right eye. She couldn't read his face, but she could tell from the serious tone in his voice that he needed a listening ear.

"Of course." She set her pen down, moving aside the folders she had spread out across the bed where she was propped against the pillows and headboard, per Rick's instructions. The house was quiet. Rick had taken Judith to her ballet practice, giving Michonne at least an hour to catch up on some paperwork.

"Why are you in here and not in your office?" Carl asked, propping himself up beside her on the bed.

"Your father," she said, rolling her eyes as she set the folders on her nightstand. "He's been watching me like a hawk the closer I get to my due date. He wants me to get more rest and be comfortable at all times. It's driving me insane."

Carl laughed. Ever since they had moved Michonne's office to the basement in preparation for the new baby, Rick was being extra precautious of her being on her swollen feet for too long, hating the fact that she had to go down an extra flight of stairs to do her work when she was home.

"I'm surprised that he hasn't talked you into leaving work yet."

"Oh, he's tried," she chuckled. Her husband was never fond of her hour drive to Atlanta for work every day and he definitely wasn't a big fan of it now with only one more month to go until their new arrival. But it was her career, her pride and joy, and she planned to work all the way up until her due date. "But he knows it won't happen so now he's resorting to texting and calling every hour during the weekday to see how I'm feeling."

"Sounds like him."

Michonne rubbed Carl's arm reassuringly. "So, what's going on? Everything okay?"

He sighed. "Yeah, it's just… I had a talk with Dad about college and stuff. My SAT's are next week and I begin getting my college applications together soon."

Michonne nodded, still finding it hard to believe that the chubby faced ten year old boy she had first met seven years ago was going off to college next year. Time really flew and she needed it to slow down for just a little bit longer.

"He thinks I should stay close to home," he continued, a spark of annoyance in his voice. "GSU, Emory or Georgia Tech."

"Georgia Tech has a really good engineering program."

"I know but what about MIT? It's the best in the country for engineering. Even better than Tech and I'm positive that I can get in." He exhaled as he leaned his head back against the headboard. "He's gonna have me stuck here in Georgia for the next four years."

"He only wants to keep you close and make sure you're safe."

"Yeah, but why?" He turned his head to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Michonne reached out towards him and smoothed a flyaway hair strand, a small, sad but understanding smile touching her lips. "You know why," she said softly.

Carl's face softened in realization and he turned away, choosing to look up at the ceiling in embarrassment of not thinking of the issue sooner. "Because of Mom."

Ever since Lori had died, Rick made it a point to keep his kids close with him at all times, afraid that one little mistake could cause him to lose another member of his family. He had loosened up over the years, but still had that protective nature in him that was hard to shake.

"Your father couldn't save her that night," Michonne said, knowing all too well the guilt and pain her husband had felt. "And losing her was one of the hardest things he ever experienced. He only wants to make sure you and Judith are safe and protected. He can't lose anyone else, Carl. He loves you."

"Atlanta is a hour away. What's another couple of hours by plane?" Carl shook his head. "Did your mom do the same thing when your dad passed away?"

"She did," Michonne sighed. Her father had died right before she was supposed to leave for college, the cancer that had been in remission for four years returning and claiming his life. "But she eventually saw that I needed to spread my wings to find my purpose in the world, not wallow in the sorrow. So she let me go, though not without some limits."

"I wish Dad would see that," he whispered wearily.

Michonne closed her eyes for a brief second, wishing that Carl could see it all from Rick's point of view. The young man was headstrong in his own teenage ways and possibly wouldn't understand now, but one day he would.

"I'll talk to him," she said, rubbing his shoulder. "You'll be eighteen soon and you'll know what's best for you, but keep in mind that we only want what's best for you as well."

Carl smiled in appreciation. Ever since they had met, Michonne had been the one person he could confide to about anything that he couldn't say to his father about. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome, Carl."

They sat there for a moment, reflecting on their words and what the future held for all of them. With one child leaving and another entering, their normal routine was about to change, a feature that Michonne wasn't sure if she was ready for.

"Hey, Mom?" Carl's voice interrupted her thoughts, thankfully. She turned her head towards him, waiting for him to continue on. "I honestly think your purpose was to be here with us."

She smiled. "I think so, too. I remember when you were ten and you told me that we were all meant to be a family- you, Judes, Rick and I. We barely knew each other then, but you were so determined for it to happen."

Carl let out a laugh. "I was right though. You were meant to be ours. I wouldn't have had it any other way." He paused. "Did you ever think it would happen?"

She shook her head. "Honestly, no. I didn't." Michonne looked at the ceiling, her thoughts roaming back to the days when she had just moved to King County from the insistence of her old boss. It was a blurry period of her life, but she found herself thinking about it more and more nowadays, grateful that she had found the light at the end of the tunnel.

"I was grieving," she said in a voice barely above a whisper, remembering the sudden loss that hit her like a ton of bricks seven years ago. "I couldn't see myself living some other life than the one I had planned. I felt like an empty shell of myself, just walking around trying to make it in the world. But when I met you, your sister and your dad, all of that changed. I had a reason to keep going again, a reason to wake up in the morning."

Michonne took Carl's hand in hers. Tears were gleaming in his eyes and hers as well. "This family helped me push through the pain. Three perfect strangers that became the family that I longed for and needed. You three are my life."

He nodded towards her belly, quickly wiping his eyes. "Four, actually."

"Right. Four." She glanced down at her belly. "Sorry, baby."

Carl squeezed her hand, wondering to himself if it really was a good idea to leave Georgia for college. To leave his parents. To leave Judith, the typical little sister who would follow him everywhere and pry into his business whenever she could. To leave his little brother, who would barely be year old when it was time for him to leave and would probably only know him through Facetime and the occasional holiday visits. They wouldn't have the same sibling bond that Judith and him had. He had a lot to think over before making an official decision, but he still had time.

Michonne playfully hit him on the knee, hoping to ease his mind on making a decision now when he had all of the time in the world to figure it out. "Why don't you go grab me that comic book you were telling me about last night? Let's read it before they get back."

"Sure." Carl hopped off of the bed and nearly bounded out of the room. Michonne stood from the bed as well to head to the bathroom, but quickly stopped as a surge of pain went through her. She had been experiencing false contractions all week now along with a dull backache, but this one felt.. Odd. She exhaled it off and continued to the bathroom, albeit slowly, hoping the cramping would subside.

* * *

_The next day..._

The school bell rang and all of the kids were dismissed from class. Miss Rosita Espinosa led her line of second graders outside to the car pick up line, her hand wrapped around Judith Grimes' hand. The young girl, as usual, was first in line, busily chatting away about her birthday party the week before. Not even a minute later, the conversation turned to the honey bees from her front yard.

"There are more and more every day, Miss. Espinosa!" she said excitedly, swinging their hands back and forth. "My Mommy said we can plant a garden in our backyard once spring comes next year."

"That's great, Judith," Rosita said, stopping her class just outside of the school building on the sidewalk. She playfully pinched Judith's cheek, happy that she had taken an interest in science and wildlife, the save the bee program especially. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Miss. Espinosa." Judith gave her a toothy smile.

A single line of cars were waiting in the parking lot. They each pulled off one by one as soon as their child was buckled in, the high school volunteers delivering each child to the correct car and parent. A few parents opted to park and walk to the lines to pick up their kids instead, taking a few moments to chat with the teachers and each other.

Judith's eyes scanned the line of cars, looking for the familiar family SUV. It was Thursday, her mother's day to pick her up, but so far, she was nowhere in sight.

"Judes!"

She turned at the sound of her name and saw Sasha walking towards her, a smile on her face. As she got closer, Judith noticed that Sasha's eyes were red and puffy. The smile was used to mask the worry on her face, the same expression Michonne wore last year when Hershel's grandpa, Hershel, Sr., was in the hospital.

"Where's Mommy?" Judith immediately asked, craning her neck to look behind her. Maybe she was waiting in the car. Her feet were swollen a lot these days. Her father often told her to make sure Mommy wasn't on her feet much and to help out when needed.

Sasha's smile faded a bit. She swallowed and took Judith's hand, not exactly ignoring the question but not sure how to tell her either. "Come on."

After saying goodbye to Ms. Espinosa and the rest of her classmates, they made their way towards the car. Sasha's car. Michonne's SUV nowhere in sight. Judith frowned, confused as to what was going on. It wasn't uncommon for Sasha to pick her up from school every now and then; on the rare instances that neither her parents could make it, her aunt Sasha gladly stepped in. Judith didn't mind. Sasha would take her out for ice cream or candy, telling corny jokes along the way. But something in her demeanor made Judith nervous. As if she was keeping something from her like a secret.

"Daddy said we should never keep secrets unless they are good ones," Judith said seriously, looking up at Sasha.

Sasha sighed, bending down so that she was face to face with the little girl. She reached out to tuck Judith's hair behind her ears. "Well, your daddy is right," she said.

Her shoulders drooped. "Judith, Mommy wasn't feeling well so daddy had to take her to the hospital this morning," she started slowly.

Sasha's heart nearly broke as she watched Judith's eyebrows wrinkle, trying to process the information just given to her.

"Is she okay?" she asked. She had only been in a hospital once and it was so long ago she couldn't remember. She only knew it as a place where people went when they were sick.

"We don't know yet." Sasha had to be honest, not wanting to string the little girl along. "But the doctors are doing everything they can to help her and the baby. They''ll be home before you know it. And Aunt Maggie is there; she'll watch over them."

Judith nodded, remembering back to the time when Maggie fixed up Carl's nasty baseball injury last year. Her father always said it was nice to have a nurse around. She calmed a bit, but her stomach hurt at the thought of another question that posed in her mind.

"Am I going to lose her like I did mommy Lori?"

"Oh, sweetheart, no," tears slipped down Sasha's cheeks and she pulled Judith in against her for a hug. "Michonne is strong. She'll make it through."

Judith nodded, burying her face into the crook of Sasha's neck. She held on tightly, not wanting to leave the comfort of her arms. Closing her eyes, she saw the image of her mother, smiling and laughing as they planted the flower bed in their front yard for the honey bees just eight months ago. She needed her back so they could finish their mission.


	10. Blow Us All Away, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Grimes family deal with the unexpected.

Rick stared helplessly at the double doors in front of him, the frantic voices of the doctors still echoing in his mind as they had wheeled his wife into the operating room just minutes earlier. He had wanted to go in with them, but with both the baby and Michonne being in distress, the doctors needed to perform an emergency c-section quickly without any distractions in order for both of them to survive. Without Rick.

He felt his heart beating in his ears the same way it did an hour ago when he returned home from dropping the kids off at school and found Michonne passed out on the kitchen floor, a small pool of blood underneath her. Sweat formed around his temples as he thought about what could have gone wrong. Tears pooled in his eyes when he realized he could possibly lose his wife and baby, two of the four most important people in this world he vowed to protect every day for the rest of his life.

He failed again. Just like he did with Lori.

He couldn't lose anyone else. After Lori's death, he had gone into a downward spiral, the guilt from the issues during their marriage eating him alive day in and day out. It was Michonne that had brought him back, who led him to the happiness he so desperately deserved and showed him what true love really was. She accepted his children as her own, left her world travels just to settle down with them to be a family.

She was his everything. He couldn't lose her.

His breathing grew rapid as he thought about Carl and Judith. They were away at school, unaware of the current events, not knowing what was happening to their mother and baby brother.

They couldn't lose another mother.

He slowly reached for his cell phone in his pocket, only to find that it wasn't there. He must have left it on the floor after calling 911.

The tears streamed down his cheeks as he ran a hand through his sweaty hair. Everything was spiraling out of his control and he wasn't sure if he could take it...

Rick flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Shane standing behind him with a concerned look on his face, still dressed in his paramedic uniform. He had been on standby when he received the call that ordered an ambulance to his best friend's address, his adrenaline pumping as he and his crew quickly made their way with Shane silently praying for everything to be okay. He had experienced this before with Lori and couldn't bear to see Rick and the kids go through the heartbreak again.

"Hey, brother," Shane said softly as he squeezed Rick's shoulder, letting him know that he was there for him. "Why don't you take a seat while we wait for some news." It sounded more like a statement than a question.

Rick shook his head, the tears continuing to fall. "I- I can't, Shane. Mi-Michonne... she needs me. The kids need me." His mind felt foggy, still trying to make sense of all that was happening. "Carl and Judith- they have to know. I have to tell them. Just in case.."

"Listen, man, the doctors are taking good care of Michonne. They're doing everything they can. Maggie is in there with them. She's the best damn nurse in this hospital and if there's anyone you can trust, it's her. Just take a deep breath, man. Breathe. She needs you. That  _baby_  needs you. I can't have Michonne waking up and see that you're not by her side. You gotta stay here with them." He gave a nervous chuckle. "I'll break your legs if you tried to leave. You know that right?"

Rick's hands shook as he rubbed at his tired eyes. "I need to make sure the kids are okay."

"I already called Sasha and told her everything. She said she'll take care of the kids. No need to worry. I'll stop by there later on and check in on them, but they're in good hands."

Shane placed his free hand on Rick's other shoulder, forcing him to look him in the eye. Rick looked back at him through red-rimmed eyes and a pained, watery gaze. He was alert, though hanging on by a thread. They couldn't have him lose focus. Not now.

"They need your strength right now, Rick. Don't worry about anything else. You have the hard part; just leave the rest to us. We got you."

Rick nodded as Shane pulled him in for a hug, the whimper he had been holding back finally breaking loose. Memories of the last time he stood in the exact same spot seven years ago flooded his mind, the feeling in the air creating a strange sense of deja vu. Shane was right. He had to stay strong for the kids. For Michonne. For the baby. For himself.

"Okay," he whispered, pulling away. "Okay."

* * *

Carl grew frustrated with every minute and hour that passed, his legs growing tired with the consistent pacing back and forth he did in his room. Sasha had picked him and Judith up from school five hours ago and they still had yet to hear from Rick concerning Michonne and the baby's condition.

With the uncomfortable silence and worried tension in the air, they all dealt with the lingering circumstances in their own ways. Carl retreated to his room and threw darts at the dartboard mounted on the wall, his helplessness and frustration aiding each off-centered throw. Judith clung to Sasha, scared of losing another adult close to her and having her life potentially change again. She had been so young when Lori died, barely even a year old, but Carl remembered everything as if it had happened yesterday. And he would not wish or want that to be something for his sister to experience.

Needing some fresh air, he threw the remaining darts in his hand on the nearby nightstand and opened his bedroom door. The delicious smell of baked chicken wafted through the hallway from the kitchen, causing his stomach to grumble. Sasha was doing the one thing that made her feel calm when in situations like this- cooking.

Carl made his way down the hall but immediately stopped just outside of Judith's cracked bedroom door. He could hear her talking in a low voice. To who? He had no idea.

"Judes?" he asked as he opened the door. He frowned slightly at the sight of her. She was kneeling beside her bed, her back towards him. "What are you doing?"

He could see that her hands were clasped in front of her face as if she was-

"Praying," she said, never moving from her position. "I'm praying for Mommy and the baby."

Carl's face softened and his heart clenched at his little sister's innocence and thoughtfulness. The Grimes family were never really a praying family but were well aware of how to do it, thanks to their family friend, Father Gabriel.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked as he walked over to her. Once she gave her consent, he kneeled beside her and clasped his hands together, ready for her to lead the way.

Judith turned to her brother, her big brown eyes wide and desperate. "Will this work?" she asked. "Will praying help bring Mommy and the baby home?" She hoped so; she was determined to bring them home soon.

Carl gave a small shrug, a sympathetic smile on his face. "It doesn't hurt to try." He failed to mention that he did the same for Lori years ago, only to have her slip away from their lives forever. But he couldn't bear to break it to her and he knew that Michonne wouldn't want him to either.

"Let's try," he said with more confidence.

Judith smiled, her face brightening for the first time since they got home. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Carl did the same. "Dear God..."

* * *

It had been a long couple of hours, but the newest member of the Grimes family was here. Four pounds, five ounces. Small, yet strong, like both of his parents. He was a fighter, his hands already balled up into tiny fists that dared anything to come at him. He was early with a few lung and breathing issues, according to Maggie, but he would be fine. Just a short stay in the NICU under the watchful eye of the doctors and nurses and he could go home to his siblings. He would fit in just fine.

Rick smiled as he peered down at his son, his eyes glossing over the baby's features to see which parent he looked like the most. After an ultrasound they had months ago, Michonne was convinced that he looked like Rick, pointing out the prominent nose and lips. But as Rick looked down at their creation, he realized that she was wrong. He looked like  _her_. She was right about the lips- he was all Grimes' there- but the nose, chin and the rest of his facial features all belonged to Michonne. Baby Grimes just needed to open his eyes so they could see his eye color.

She wanted him to have eyes like his father's. Those pretty blue eyes.

Rick wiped at his eyes. They felt swollen and irritated now from crying so much, but he couldn't seem to stop. He hadn't cried this much in years.

The baby's chest rose and fell with each breath. He wore a blue knit cap, the color striking against his pale skin. He was stuck inside an incubator surrounded by tubes and machines, a sight that Rick imagined would be scary for the little one.

But he was there. He would always be there for him.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered, placing his hand inside of the incubator to gently rub the baby's fist. "I'm here. I got you."

Rick's mind drifted to Michonne, his eyes closing so the tears would not start again. Not now. "We finally narrowed down the name choices for you last week," he said. "You weren't supposed to be here for another month, so we figured we had more time to make an official decision."

He paused. The baby's hand moved slightly so that his small and delicate fingers were wrapped around Rick's index finger as if giving him the strength. He had his mother's strength.

"Hold tight, Andre. This is only the beginning."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If anyone is wondering about the title, it's from Hamilton's "Dear Theodosia." The last part of the story should have reflected the song more, but I believe it took a mind of its own haha.


	11. Blow Us All Away, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! So I realized that the last couple of chapters became more Grimes 2.0 focused than just Michonne/Judith focused as I had originally planned and for that I apologize. I think I got a little carried away there haha but I do love this Grimes family version so no regrets. Anyway, there is one more chapter left after this before I wrap up the series. Thank you again for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!

Rick gently ran his finger across Andre's cheek, watching as the little one's brown eyes silently took in the world around him. The soothing humming from his father was taking an effect on him, his eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.

Rick chuckled at the sight, realizing that he was going to have a time on his hands with this child. Just thirty minutes ago, Andre was trying to snatch out his breathing tube and now he was falling asleep, his belly full after a quick feeding.

"You're about as stubborn as your mama," he said softly, his lips curving into a small smile as he thought about his wife. "You know that?"

"I heard that."

Not surprised at the retort, he let out a teasing laugh and turned to his wife, who was sitting in the rocking chair just a few feet away from the incubator. She wore a smile of her own and was wrapped in a hospital gown, her body still aching from the surgery the day before. She had finally consumed enough energy to venture to the NICU earlier that day and hadn't left since, her heart officially stolen for the fourth time in her lifetime.

She rested her head against the back of the chair and raised her eyebrows. "Is this what you guys did yesterday before I woke up? Talk about me?"

"Maybe," he smirked. "Although I'm pretty sure he knows almost everything about you already."

Michonne laughed. She observed Rick as he continued humming their child to sleep, causing a sense of familiarity from when Judith was a baby. He would do the same with her, pacing the room and singing her song and song until she was sound asleep. The way he was with his kids- their kids- was one of the many reasons she fell in love with him. So patient and calm and ready to fight for his family whenever needed.

"You feeling okay?" Rick asked, interrupting her thoughts. The sudden silence caused him to look over at her in concern, ready to spring into action if she was in any pain.

"I'm fine," she answered, shaking her head. Her eyes caught the time from the clock on the wall. "You should go get the kids. They haven't met their little brother yet."

"Yeah," Rick agreed, pulling Andre's knit cap down an inch lower to cover the stray lock of dark hair that stuck out from underneath the cap. "And they've been worried sick about you. Carl said Judith wanted to pray for you and Andre."

"That's my girl," Michonne said lovingly. Tears prickled in her eyes. Carl and Judith may not have grown in her womb, but they would have a forever place in her heart. "Go and get my babies."

"On it now." Rick stepped away from the incubator and took the few steps towards Michonne. He bent down and deposited a lingering kiss on her forehead before placing his head in the crook of her neck. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, her fingers making their way to his curls just like they always did. To think, the day before had been an excruciating one where he thought he was going to lose her. He didn't even want to think of a world where her touch would be nonexistent.

"I can't wait to take you two home with me," he said eagerly.

"Just a little bit longer," she said reassuringly. "And then we'll all be together again."

"I look forward to it."

* * *

Judith sat on the sidewalk in front the house, her legs crossed as she reached for the chalk inside of the clear container Sasha had given her. She carefully assessed each color of the chalk before deciding on the pink that matched her dress.

She was happy that day. Sasha had decided to keep both her and Carl home from school that day and for a good reason- they were going to the hospital to see Michonne and the baby. Rick was finally able to get in touch with Sasha and Carl late last night, delivering the news of their conditions and promising that he would stop by to pick them up the next day.

Judith's prayer had worked. Just like she thought it would.

She drew a flower first. Then a sun. And then a honey bee, exchanging out the pink for more suitable colors that matched the portrait. She wasn't sure exactly when Michonne would be coming home, but she wanted this picture on the sidewalk to be the first thing she saw when she got out of the car.

Judith glanced behind her to see Sasha sitting on the porch steps and waved. Sasha waved back, a smile accompanying it.

Just as Judith had turned back around, Rick's truck pulled into the driveway. She nearly giggled in excitement as he stepped out onto the driveway, still wearing the same clothes he wore the previous day. He looked tired and his curls were unruly, but he wore a smile that was as bright as the sun.

"Daddy!" she practically yelled as he made his way over to her.

He bent down to place a kiss on the top of her head then pulled her in for a tight hug. "Hi, sweetheart. You didn't give Sasha any trouble, did you?"

"Nope," she said happily. She stood on her feet so that they were eye level, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Carl and I were good. Can we go see Mommy and the baby now?"

Rick chuckled, his hand smoothing down her hair. "We can. They can't wait to see you. They're waiting for you two now."

* * *

"Why does he have that thing in his nose?" Judith frowned as she looked through the incubator at Andre, the machines around him alarming her.

Michonne took Judith's hand in hers. "It's there to help him breathe. He's wasn't breathing well on his own so he needs some assistance for now."

The frown on Judith's face eased thanks to her mother's words, but she still worried that maybe her prayer didn't work. Her mother was okay, but her baby brother was still stuck in this shell and hooked up to machines, a scary sight to take in.

Noticing the uncertainty in Judith's eyes, Michonne rubbed her back. "Hey. He's going to be okay, Judes. These machines are helping him gain some strength every day so he'll be out of here before you know it."

"Like a superhero?" Judith thought about the comic books that Carl would read.

Michonne chuckled amusingly. "Yeah, something like that."

"Maybe we can give him a superhero costume."

"I think he will like that. We can dress him up for Halloween."

Judith nodded and grinned, leaning back against her mother as they continued to stare at the small bundle of joy. They were the only ones in the room. There were only two visitors allowed in at a time, so Carl decided to stay back and eat lunch with Rick while they waited for his turn. Judith didn't mind because it gave her some much needed alone time with her mother.

"Why don't we read Andre a book?" Michonne asked, her body starting to ache again and screaming for the chance to sit down. She led Judith over to the rocking chair. "He likes to hear people's voices."

"I'll read." Judith reached for the book that was tucked into the side of the chair. Maggie had brought it by shortly after Rick had arrived with the kids, telling them that siblings usually liked to read to the babies during the day.

"You got it, cutie."

Judith stood beside the chair where her mother sat. She decided to stand instead of sit on her lap like she usually did, remembering her father's words on how they had to be gentle since Michonne's body was still recuperating. It was fine with Judith as long as she was still close to Michonne.

"'Take Heart, My Child,' " Judith read out the title of the book. Not too loud, but not too soft. She glanced over at her brother, who was still sound asleep and then her mother, who gave her an encouraging nod to continue.

Needing to say something before going on, Judith reached over and placed a kiss on Michonne's cheek. "I love you, Mommy."

Michonne smiled, the tears slipping down her cheek before she could catch them. Times like this were the perfect reminder of how blessed she was. "I love you too, Judith."


	12. This is Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judith grows jealous of the newest addition to the Grimes family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of this series. Thank you everyone so, so much for all of the feedback, prompts and compliments that you have given me. I read each review at least fifty times and all are very much appreciated. I have grown to love this version of the Grimes 2.0 family and I hope you have too. This last chapter is a prompt request from mtownrichonner who requested the following: I thought maybe Judith could grow a little jealous of the attention paid to the new baby. Let me know what you think!

**December**

"Oh my goodness, look at his adorable little face!"

Judith exhaled and placed a hand on her forehead, shaking her head in disbelief as she listened to the adults fawn over her new baby brother, Andre Anthony, the same way they had been doing since he came home from the hospital about a month ago. Every day there was a visitor in their house, each coming to drop off gifts and plates of food and to see the newest member of the Grimes family. They never stayed longer than necessary, but long enough to give all of their undivided attention to Andre.

Just Andre.

Judith tried to grab their attention the way she used to by telling them stories and showing off her toys, but none of it seemed to work anymore. They would offer a smile and a few quick comments, but within minutes, they were back to "oohing" and "cooing" over Andre, even while he was asleep and unaware of his own pull on people.

Judith was jealous.

She had always been the baby of the family, the apple of both of her parents' eyes. Now it seemed like she was being replaced. There was barely any time for one on one time with her parents, her mother in particular, like there was before and she missed it.

Folding her arms, she stood in the doorway of the nursery, watching as Maggie and Sasha gathered their belongings to leave. Michonne sat in the rocking chair near the window with Andre in her arms, a blue knit blanket wrapped around his body. She gently rocked back and forth, humming softly to lure him to sleep as she gently smoothed down the jet black curls that adorned the top of his head. A mixture of love and pride was written all over her face, a permanent feature these days, Judith noticed.

"Hi there, kiddo," Maggie said as she and Sasha made their way towards the door. "Are you getting used to being a big sister yet?"

"I guess," Judith shrugged.

"It's a lot of hard work," Maggie continued. "But it's worth it in the end, especially since you can boss them around when they get older." She winked.

"Don't give her any ideas," Sasha said with a smile, reaching out to pinch Judith on the cheek. "Let's go before you get us in trouble. We'll see you later, Judes."

After Maggie and Sasha left, Judith walked into the nursery and sat down on the floor a few feet away from Michonne. Michonne offered her a smile, her tired eyes searching her daughter's obviously annoyed expression.

"Everything okay, cutie?"

Judith wrinkled her eyebrows as she looked down at the floor. "Can we give him back to the hospital?"

Michonne raised her eyebrows in surprise, taken aback by the seven year old's question. She was not prepared for that. "No, baby, we can't give him back. Why would you want to do that?"

"Because you don't spend time with me anymore. You're always with Andre now."

"Oh, baby," Michonne sighed as she closed her eyes, the sadness in Judith's face causing her heart to break. Ever since Andre had officially came home a month ago, her one on one time with Judith had become limited. Rick took the kids to and from school and their after school activities every day instead of switching off with Michonne like they used to in order for her to rest and care for Andre. She had tried the best she could to give all of her children the same amount of attention separately but by just taking a look at Judith's face now revealed that her goal had not been reached.

"No, Judith, we can't take him back," she shook her head. "He's one of us and he needs a lot of care and guidance right now since he's still so small. Come here."

She motioned for Judith to come stand beside her, which the young girl did, slightly hanging her head in shame at her request. Michonne placed her index finger under Judith's chin and lifted her head so that she could peer into her eyes, wanting her to hear and understand each word she was about to say.

"I'm sorry we haven't spent a lot of time together recently. It doesn't mean I love you less; it's just that Andre needs a little bit more attention since he can't care for himself. Do you understand?"

Judith nodded, tears shining in her eyes.

"Why don't we have a mother/daughter day tomorrow? Just the two of us all day. We can go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do."

Judith's face brightened at the suggestion. "Can we go get ice cream?"

"Whatever you want," Michonne chuckled.

"Can I get a toy?"

"Well, Christmas is next week so you might want to wait. You never know what Santa is gonna bring you."

She nodded in agreement. Just the idea of spending all day with her mother was good enough for her. "Okay, I can wait."

Michonne smiled in appreciation. "That's my girl."

Judith glanced down at Andre. "Can I hold him, Mommy?"

"Of course you can."

Michonne carefully stood from the chair, waiting until Judith took the seat before gently transferring the small bundle from her arms to Judith's.

"Hold the head up," she instructed. "Just like Daddy taught you. There you go."

She stood back and looked down at her two children, a wave of nostalgia running through her as she thought back to when Judith was just an infant herself. The years had went by so fast that she wished she could press a pause button for just a day, to bask in the happiest moments of her life.

There was no pause button, but she had a better solution.

She grabbed her camera from off of the nearby dresser, a special part of her past that she had dug up from the attic. She raised it to her eyes, peering through the viewfinder until she had the perfect shot.

"Smile, Judith."

Judith gave a toothy grin, Andre sleeping comfortably in her arms with not a care in the world. Once Michonne snapped the picture, a smile easing onto her face.

"Perfect."

* * *

Judith held on Michonne's hand, swinging their arms excitedly as they made their way to Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream shop. The heels of her black Mary Jane flats clicked against the sidewalk, right along with Michonne's high heels.

"Did you have fun?" Michonne asked as she opened the door to the shop.

"Yes!" Judith answered as she skipped inside. They had just left the theater after a viewing of the ballet, The Nutcracker. Misty Copeland wasn't in it to Judith's dismay, but it was still worth it. "I want to dance like that one day."

"Do you?" Michonne held a hand to her chest, pretending to be hurt by the response. "I thought you wanted to own an art gallery like mommy?"

"I can do both," Judith laughed.

"Whatever you put your mind to, you can do."

After purchasing their ice cream, they sat in a secluded section near the window, conversing about everything under the sun. Out of the corner of her eye, Michonne noticed the woman at the counter staring at them, her eyes quickly darting away once she realized she had been caught. Michonne shook her head. She had gotten used to the curious looks she received while out with her family for seven years and even let the comments they would say behind her back slide, but she was always made sure they never got around to Judith.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?" Her daughter's voice brought her back to reality.

"Becky at school said that you can't be my mommy."

Michonne raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side, ready to go into full protective mother mode. She was going to have a talk with Becky's mother soon. "And why did she say that?"

"She said that we don't look alike." Judith toyed at her ice cream with her spoon. "I told her we do."

A curious smile began to tug at the corner of Michonne's mouth. "We do, don't we?"

"Yeah." Judith sat on her knees in the chair. "I may look like mommy Lori, but I'm just like you on the inside." She reached over and toyed with a loc of Michonne's hair. "You're beautiful, Mommy."

Michonne kissed Judith on the cheek. "And so are you, my little genius."

Later that night when it was time for bed, Judith somehow convinced Michonne that the perfect way to end their special day would be to have a sleepover. So she meandered her way into their bedroom, snuggling in between her parents just like the old days. She blew a kiss at Andre, who was in the bassinet beside the bed, doing the main thing he always did- sleep.

"I'm guessing today was a success," Rick said amusingly, nodding at Judith's, whose eyes were slowly drifting closed, unable to fight the drowsiness.

"It was," Michonne smiled. "We're going to get used to this new normal and have a day set aside for just mother and daughter every week."

"She'll like that." He glanced down at Judith to make sure she was fully asleep before going on. "And do we get a day set aside for just us two? Some adult alone time?"

"Oh, I think we can arrange that."

There was a knock on the door and after hearing their approval, it opened and Carl walked in, a comic book in his hand. "What's going on in here? A sleepover?"

"That's exactly what is it. Care to join us?" Michonne pointed to the chair by the window, a favorite place of his that he liked to sit in whenever he stopped by. "We're not going to sleep anytime soon."

"Sure," Carl said, making his way over to the chair. "I, uh, figured since I'll be leaving next year for college, I should spend as much time with you guys as possible. Massachusetts is kinda far."

Michonne glanced over at Rick, noticing not a hint of disappointment or sadness on his face. Carl had applied to MIT after talking things through with Rick a couple of months back and received his acceptance letter just a few days ago. While Michonne was sure Carl was ready and excited, she noticed a tone of nervousness within him and she promised she would help him become more confident in his decision. He was a leader and would do well without them, no matter how much she hated to think about him leaving.

"I can't believe he's leaving in eight months," she whispered to Rick.

"I know," he answered, disbelief creeping into his voice. "As soon as one child enters, one leaves."

"Let's make that a one time thing. I don't need to match a kid for a kid."

Rick leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple, careful not to wake Judith. "Do you know that you complete us?"

Michonne smiled, glancing at the four loved ones around her. All of this was a dream that she had for years before she met Rick, now finally her reality. "I can say the same about you all."


End file.
